Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’s inclusion in this tournament has been controversial, given that it’s a DLC and not a full game, but it offers a story campaign longer than most other games and a ton of new features, a new area and more. We think it deserves a shot at glory, and the people seemingly agree as it’s made it through the first round.
It’s not got an easy run though, as Alan Wake 2 stands before it. This masterpiece of the survival horror genre has been all over the game of the year conversation amongst gamers and gaming outlets, and it’s easy to see why. An excellent story, creepy atmosphere, involving puzzles, heart-pounding combat, and several musical numbers — what more could you want?
Absolute heartbreak is on the way for me, as these are my two favorite games of the year, and one of them has to get knocked out, but which one?
While a more traditional TrueAchievements GOTY vote will be held later this month, we thought running a knockout tournament like this would be a great way to spark some conversion around 2023’s best Xbox games. To be fair, we put AAA games in the top bracket and smaller indie games in the second bracket tier, offering all participating a chance to take the crown.
Alan Wake 2
From the studio that brought you Control comes a psychological survival horror starring two protagonists in two very different worlds. Saga Anderson is a gifted FBI agent called to the small Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls to investigate a series of ritualistic murders. Alan Wake is a writer who has spent years trapped in the Dark Place, a terrifying alternate reality that can be reshaped by his words. Although they have never met, the two are connected across separate realities, their actions able to change their respective worlds.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Phantom Liberty is a new spy-thriller adventure for Cyberpunk 2077. When the orbital shuttle of the President of the New United States of America is shot down over the deadliest district of Night City, there’s only one person who can save her — you. Become V, a cyberpunk for hire, and dive deep into a tangled web of espionage and political intrigue, unraveling a story that connects the highest echelons of power with the brutal world of black-market mercenaries.
GOTY 2023 – Results so far
